Why might Google want to buy part of HTC?

A Google takeover of at least part of HTC's business has been rumoured for some time. Google has already struggled to integrate one phone-maker, Motorola Mobility, and it's not clear why it would want to repeat the experience. Does Google really want to own HTC's factories at a time when others, including Apple, are happy to outsource production? Google already poached Vive's chief designer Claude Zellweger away at the start of the year for its own Daydream VR effort. Many believe virtual and augmented reality have the potential to revolutionise how we interact with computers, but only after further huge sums are invested in R&D. Cash-strapped HTC might thus be incapable of making the most of its early lead, while Google may be willing to dig deep to give itself every advantage possible against Microsoft and Apple, which are also eyeing the space.